In 2018, I was protested at the CUNY Law School. Thankfully, the students did not engage in any acts of physical violence, but I was well aware that things could have turned south quickly. Immediately after the event, I went home to see my parents in Staten Island. My mom and dad were mortified at what happened to me. They were concerned for my physical safety. They implored me to never speak at another law school again.
You can gather I did not heed their advice. I decided, for better or worse, that the messages I bring to other schools are very important, and there would be a significant loss were I to stand down. Still, every time I step foot on a campus, I realize there is a risk. I fully recognize that most law schools lack sufficient resources to protect me as a speaker. Some schools require visitors to check in at a reception desk. Others do not. Virtually no schools have any sort of security checks at the door. I am not (yet) at the level where I need to bring my own security detail. I am truly at the mercy of whatever students decide to do.
